Locals look to Buddhist monk for decision on rehabilitation

Udoy Shankar Chakma, a 70-year-old schoolteacher at Tintilapahar in Langadu area, who, like most of his neighbours, lost his homestead to an arson attack on June 2, is now awaiting a decision from the Buddhist monk of the local keyang regarding their rehabilitation and acceptance of the relief materials offered by the local administration. When this correspondent visited the remote Tintilapahar area in Langadu upazila under Rangamati district, Udoy Shankar said, “Vante of Tintila Banobihar is our guardian. We will follow whatever he says about the rehabilitation and acceptance of the relief materials.” “After the arson attack, the local administration wanted to provide me some relief, but I didn’t accept it,” he added. He disclosed that he has two tin-shed houses and one cooking house. The houses, with everything in them, were destroyed in the arson attack by the local Bangalees. “My wife had gone to Rangamati town. My son and his wife had gone out of the house. That’s why they were not injured in the arson attack,” he explained.
This correspondent also talked to Bhagya Laxmi Chakma, a family planning assistant of Langadu upazila. She claimed that the miscreants had burned down her home, wherein she had lost all her valuables. “I’m currently staying with my son at a mess in Langadu area,” she added. “I want all the miscreants who destroyed our homes and properties put on trial,” she said.
Nintu Bikash Chakma, a contractor of Langadu upazila, said: “We don’t want relief, we want justice for all of us.” “Yes, we will receive grants and other help, if the administration gives us a guarantee that we can live a normal life free of violence, and help us raise our homes again,” he said.
“We don’t want any repetition of such incidents, as it occurred in 1989,” he added. He disclosed that some of them were surviving on cooked food sent by their relatives from different areas of Langadu upazila and some families were living in the hills and forests.
Entire homes, which were reduced to ashes along with their properties, were suspected to have been torched with gunpowder and petrol, he claimed.
When this correspondent visiting a burned-down homestead at the area, he found only a cat in the gutted ruins, looking around disdainfully at its surroundings.  
Azmat Ali, a farmer of Tintilapahar area, disclosed that the local administration and the Bangladesh Army were trying to provide cooked food and relief materials to the affected tribal people, but these were not accepted. “We also tried to individually provide cooked food, but they refused to accept it,” he said.
“The government should provide all help necessary for their survival,” he said. This correspondent also visited the house of Nayan, a Jubo League leader, who was killed by miscreants on Thursday. Jahanara Khatun, the widow of Nurul Islam Nayan, alleged that two suspects—Dipalu Chakma and Eman Chakma—threatened her husband a few days ago, and finally killed him after calling him out of their home on Thursday.
She alleged that that her husband was tortured to death. This has angered the local Bangalees and that is why they might have set the houses of the local tribals ablaze, she claimed.
“I don’t understand why all the local tribes together went to Keyang on Thursday afternoon. Maybe they knew Nayan had been murdered by their people and the miscreants might attack their homes on the issue,” she said.
She also claimed that it was a pre-planned murder. Jahanara Khatun disclosed that the local administration has given her Tk. 25,000, the local MP has provided her Tk. 47,000, and the Bangladesh Army has given her Tk. 20,000.
She said, “Nayan was the only wage-earner of our five-member family. I cannot understand how we will survive, with my three children.”
Md. Shafiul Sarwar, additional superintendent of police of Rangamati, told The Independent that the people who do not wish the government well have carried out the arson attacks to tarnish the government’s image.
“Harmony between the tribal people and the Bangalees of the area has deteriorated,” he said. He blamed a vested quarter for the incident. “We have set up four police camps in four areas—Langadu Girls’ High School, Kathaltoli, Manikjurchora and Baittapara—to ensure security and also stabilise the situation in the area,” he disclosed. He added that the victims are staying at three places: Tintila Keyang, Manikjurchora Government Primary School and Dane Langadu School.
“The law and order situation is now normal though members of the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh Army are separately patrolling the areas,” he said. They have arrested 21 suspects so far, he disclosed. “A total of 212 houses was burned down in the arson attack,” he claimed. The houses in the hilly areas, including Tintila, Baittapara, North and South Manikjorchhara and Baradam, were set ablaze by people from the procession following Nayan’s murder.
On Saturday, the police arrested the two main accused—Runel Chakma and Junel Chakma—from Charmile area in Dighinala upazila in connection with Nayan’s killing. Following their statements, a team of divers of the Bangladesh Navy recovered Nayan’s motorcycle from the Maini river. On June 1, Juba League leader Nurul Islam Nayan, 35, who used to carry passengers on his motorcycle in lieu of monetary payments, was found dead by a road in Dighinala upazila. His motorcycle had gone missing after the incident. Two Pahari young men had hired Nayan’s motorbike for going to Dighinala, and locals alleged that the duo killed him in a pre-planned manner.

 

Locals look to Buddhist monk for decision on rehabilitation

Udoy Shankar Chakma, a 70-year-old schoolteacher at Tintilapahar in Langadu area, who, like most of his neighbours, lost his homestead to an arson attack on June 2, is now awaiting a decision from the Buddhist monk of the local keyang regarding their rehabilitation and acceptance of the relief materials offered by the local administration. When this correspondent visited the remote Tintilapahar area in Langadu upazila under Rangamati district, Udoy Shankar said, Vante of Tintila Banobihar is our guardian. We will follow whatever he says about the rehabilitation and acceptance of the relief materials. After the arson attack, the local administration wanted to provide me some relief, but I didnt accept it, he added. He disclosed that he has two tin-shed houses and one cooking house. The houses, with everything in them, were destroyed in the arson attack by the local Bangalees. My wife had gone to Rangamati town. My son and his wife had gone out of the house. Thats why they were not injured in the arson attack, he explained. This correspondent also talked to Bhagya Laxmi Chakma, a family planning assistant of Langadu upazila. She claimed that the miscreants had burned down her home, wherein she had lost all her valuables. Im currently staying with my son at a mess in Langadu area, she added. I want all the miscreants who destroyed our homes and properties put on trial, she said. Nintu Bikash Chakma, a contractor of Langadu upazila, said: We dont want relief, we want justice for all of us. Yes, we will receive grants and other help, if the administration gives us a guarantee that we can live a normal life free of violence, and help us raise our homes again, he said. We dont want any repetition of such incidents, as it occurred in 1989, he added. He disclosed that some of them were surviving on cooked food sent by their relatives from different areas of Langadu upazila and some families were living in the hills and forests. Entire homes, which were reduced to ashes along with their properties, were suspected to have been torched with gunpowder and petrol, he claimed. When this correspondent visiting a burned-down homestead at the area, he found only a cat in the gutted ruins, looking around disdainfully at its surroundings. Azmat Ali, a farmer of Tintilapahar area, disclosed that the local administration and the Bangladesh Army were trying to provide cooked food and relief materials to the affected tribal people, but these were not accepted. We also tried to individually provide cooked food, but they refused to accept it, he said. The government should provide all help necessary for their survival, he said. This correspondent also visited the house of Nayan, a Jubo League leader, who was killed by miscreants on Thursday. Jahanara Khatun, the widow of Nurul Islam Nayan, alleged that two suspectsDipalu Chakma and Eman Chakmathreatened her husband a few days ago, and finally killed him after calling him out of their home on Thursday. She alleged that that her husband was tortured to death. This has angered the local Bangalees and that is why they might have set the houses of the local tribals ablaze, she claimed. I dont understand why all the local tribes together went to Keyang on Thursday afternoon. Maybe they knew Nayan had been murdered by their people and the miscreants might attack their homes on the issue, she said. She also claimed that it was a pre-planned murder. Jahanara Khatun disclosed that the local administration has given her Tk. 25,000, the local MP has provided her Tk. 47,000, and the Bangladesh Army has given her Tk. 20,000. She said, Nayan was the only wage-earner of our five-member family. I cannot understand how we will survive, with my three children. Md. Shafiul Sarwar, additional superintendent of police of Rangamati, told The Independent that the people who do not wish the government well have carried out the arson attacks to tarnish the governments image. Harmony between the tribal people and the Bangalees of the area has deteriorated, he said. He blamed a vested quarter for the incident. We have set up four police camps in four areasLangadu Girls High School, Kathaltoli, Manikjurchora and Baittaparato ensure security and also stabilise the situation in the area, he disclosed. He added that the victims are staying at three places: Tintila Keyang, Manikjurchora Government Primary School and Dane Langadu School. The law and order situation is now normal though members of the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh Army are separately patrolling the areas, he said. They have arrested 21 suspects so far, he disclosed. A total of 212 houses was burned down in the arson attack, he claimed. The houses in the hilly areas, including Tintila, Baittapara, North and South Manikjorchhara and Baradam, were set ablaze by people from the procession following Nayans murder. On Saturday, the police arrested the two main accusedRunel Chakma and Junel Chakmafrom Charmile area in Dighinala upazila in connection with Nayans killing. Following their statements, a team of divers of the Bangladesh Navy recovered Nayans motorcycle from the Maini river. On June 1, Juba League leader Nurul Islam Nayan, 35, who used to carry passengers on his motorcycle in lieu of monetary payments, was found dead by a road in Dighinala upazila. His motorcycle had gone missing after the incident. Two Pahari young men had hired Nayans motorbike for going to Dighinala, and locals alleged that the duo killed him in a pre-planned manner.